Although you don’t hear it discussed today as much as Never Mind the Bollocks or London Calling Gang of Four’s 1979 debut is arguably as influential with it’s fingerprints all over everyone from Rage Against the Machine to The Strokes and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  We’re officially raising the flag for it being discussed (and listens to) on a daily basis.  This one goes out to Bradman Chapely.     Recommended Listening: Wire Pink Flag  https://open.spotify.com/album/5dfFLlA2pgPWdZZxrgZAGP Futureheads Futureheads https://open.spotify.com/album/2G9UuU6wxAa4FoIv1rwHBo Bloc Party Silent Alarm https://open.spotify.com/album/0urhQCsjpczjC8zbTMtd8t Franz Ferdinand  https://open.spotify.com/album/0mUEGMT2YlzCWGeWOJjBKD Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers  https://open.spotify.com/album/5QxFTj8ar3blXVyVEo2rxD Midnight Oil Red Sails in the Sunset https://open.spotify.com/album/2PngM8mbua3d1Zz8GvL2Qo   huntsmanhill.com

Greatness has a shelf life but Jane’s Addiction's hadn’t expired yet in 1988.  Their first studio album fulfilled the promise of their live debut by upping the bombast and the studio budget without sacrificing any of the trippier, softer moments.  It would all fall apart after only one more release but upon Nothing’s Shocking’s release Jane’s was at the height of their powers.  Does is still sound as important and triumphant today?  We evaluate.    Recommended Listening:   Book: Ann Rule  The Stranger Beside Me  https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Beside-Me-Ann-Rule/dp/1416559590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505183544&sr=8-1&keywords=the+stranger+beside+me   

The Clash were famously once deemed “the only band that matters” and through about 3/4 of their discography it’s pretty easy to make that case.  But what about the remaining 1/3?  We go album by album to re-evaluate the great, the slightly less than great and the triple album filler to determine if the only band that matters still matters some 40 years after their debut.

Recommended Listening:   Black Market Clash https://open.spotify.com/album/5LQydKqefPCbXRktm5IsXr London Calling Legacy Edition (The Vanilla Tapes) https://open.spotify.com/album/3TZuLZx0zB3Q45aQXDswb9 Sandinista Now! https://www.discogs.com/The-Clash-Sandinista-Now/release/3422469 The Clash at Bond’s Casino  http://1981.nyc/clash-bonds-casino/ Mikey Dread https://open.spotify.com/artist/6xKQ3GOnt3gjzja4IcLyg4 Spotify Playlist: The Only Band that Matters  https://open.spotify.com/user/1298220429/playlist/28PsiEn0kesL0yri22M678 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros  https://open.spotify.com/artist/2j0a6SKKTAXaaNWU3pl86d Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg https://www.discogs.com/The-Clash-Rat-Patrol-From-Fort-Bragg/release/715680 The Clash on Broadway: The Interviews https://www.discogs.com/Clash-Clash-On-Broadway-The-Interviews/release/1641987

In 1993 the Golden Era of Hip Hop was in full swing with seminal albums being released by some of the genres most influential artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Guru and KRS-One.  The art form was fertile for invention and experimentation and constantly introducing vital new artists with debuts from The Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Doggie Dogg and Digable Planets coming that same year.  All three albums were wildly different and unique and each heralded as an achievement in pushing the the boundaries of the genre.  Each also sold a lot of records.  Wu-Tang and Snoop went on to long, prolific careers and are still making new music today.  Digable Planets made a sophomore record and then disappeared.  They’re rarely discussed today but  Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) is no less mind blowing and enjoyable today then it was the day it came out in February 1993.  We dive back in and love every minute, track by track.    Recommended Listening   Blowout Comb https://open.spotify.com/album/5gvlpKnnINq8Z1YICdtiBt   Shabazz Palaces  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6C403AR4y6PjN0xNNGh42m   Guru Jazzmatazz Volume 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/64J8girYqmK86ebqBayrjQ   Us3 Cantaloop https://open.spotify.com/track/2AnTuxahfcAS7dGxGZnihY

As the economics of the music industry continue to shift in the age of digital music nothing is more important to a bands financial health than kicking ass live.  Once derided as a novelty or a contract fulfiller the live album became a staple in many bands discographies in the 1970’s with the  likes of Frampton Comes Alive, At Budokan, Alive! and Live at the Fillmore East.  For episode 37 we dive deep into the phenomena of the live record and pull out 20 of our collective favorites.   Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/user/1298220429/playlist/4gy1wWwypkoFS2lUztvZ44

For our fourth VINYL CAGE MATCH we go further back than we’ve ever gone, all the way to 1969 and 1971 to pit Led Zeppelin II against Led Zeppelin IV.  One has been certified 12x Platinum and the other is the second best selling album of all time in the US.  No one needs to be convinced of the greatness or the impact of misers Plant, Page, Jones and Bonham but how do two of their most icon albums fair when having to go toe-to-toe against each other?  Here’s our take.   Recommended Listening:  Them Crooked Vultures:  Them Crooked Vultures  https://open.spotify.com/album/2J1Su4rQL12Nf3v6w3MBvl   Dread Zeppelin Un-Led-Ed https://open.spotify.com/album/0pIs0qva8nppRi4M2tW1F8   The Mission Children  https://open.spotify.com/album/101pZCdJGdRsrEULeMaPwL   Movie When The Levees Broke  https://open.spotify.com/album/0pIs0qva8nppRi4M2tW1F8       Vinyl Battle Royale  Standing Champions: Rod: If I Should Fall From Grace With God Mike:  Master of Reality 

We’re back to the podcasts original intent:  Listening to records that we loved back in the day but haven’t heard in years and determining if they still hold up for us today.  This week we discuss Nine Inch Nail debut and are in a pretty agreeable mood.  Not a lot of hate but only a little bit of love.  Probably not Trent Reznor’s original intent.   Recommended Listening:  David Bowie Heart’s Filthy Lesson  https://open.spotify.com/album/0pUursvGUAgcDiEqYlnZ0q   1,000 Homo DJs Supernaut  https://open.spotify.com/album/59or2rVv97PQ4dS45ohNlQ   David Bowie & NIN We Prick You  https://www.amazon.com/We-Prick-You-Radio-Broadcast/dp/B018EHR6WA/ref=pd_bxgy_15_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B018EHR6WA&pd_rd_r=EJSF2N5VWMSVKKK6GG2D&pd_rd_w=EYbiH&pd_rd_wg=iLQEZ&psc=1&refRID=EJSF2N5VWMSVKKK6GG2D   Vinyl Battle Royale  Current Champions: Rod: The Pogues If I Should Fall From Grace With God Mike:  Black Sabbath Master of Reality 

Trumpets blare, a guitar chord rings out, the drums and bass kick in and then Arthur "Civ” Civarelli asks er, screams a simple question “What do you mean?”  So begins Gorilla Biscuits 1989 debut Start Today.  It’s a perfect testament of it’s time and place and it hasn’t lost an once of it’s power or potency.  We gush.     Recommended Listening:  The Way it is NYHC Comp https://www.discogs.com/Various-New-York-City-Hardcore-The-Way-It-Is/release/378654   Youth of Today Break Down the Walls https://open.spotify.com/album/37Mj1nYiNbbpOXYACvQPJX   Rival Schools United By Fate 2001 https://open.spotify.com/album/37TcohvwaAgxmhgqtf7rxC   Walter Schifels An Open Letter to the Scene 2010 https://open.spotify.com/album/3UtJTWy1lS9CbL8obcsIBJ   Dead Heavens Whatever Witch You Are 2017 https://open.spotify.com/album/7yWYvLF6zoybbJQh13VZrT   Vinyl Battle Royale Current Champions:   Rod: The Pogues:  If I Should Fall From Grace With God Mike:  Black Sabbath:  Master of Reality 

 

We’re back!!!  After several weeks of life getting in the way we are finally back on track for episode 33 1/3 and it’s a doozy.  We discuss The Minutemen’s 1984 masterpiece Double Nickels on the Dime and try a new format that shortens the overall length of the show and hopefully keeps us from meandering down too deep a rabbit hole on any one track.  Also, as discussed on episode 31, at the end of each show we’ll be pitting this week’s album against each of our standing champions as part of our ongoing Vinyl Battle Royale.  Hope you enjoy it.   Recommended Listening:    Music   fIREHOSE: Live Totem Pole ep https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLct-yW5j1EwehaY6LLECcf6KnvG42hFiZ   Watt:   Ballhog & Tugboat https://open.spotify.com/album/2deUSnHlt1JegsHSPS1bPS  Contemplating the Engine Room https://open.spotify.com/album/1T2o35s6x6e5OxMcZqJIDl    Movie    We Jam Econo  https://youtu.be/HmKGusadv08    Vinyl Battle Royale   Current Champions:   Rod:  The Pogues   If I Should Fall From Grace With God  https://open.spotify.com/album/4V92Puney9WxGPecKtLG4L   Mike:  NEW CHAMPION!!!   Black Sabbath  Master of Reality https://open.spotify.com/album/7pGb2cOGVz6vLyaZaKOQ7D

 

 

Apologies in advance that the audio of our featured guest this week is less than great.  It’s a little muddy and sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom but we’re hoping you can endure the subpar sonics as it’s a great conversation about one of the most influential bands in the history of recorded music.  All hail Iommi, Butler, Ward and Osbourne!!!    huntsmanhill.com